It's
been enough to keep the sap flowing and the sugarmakers boiling late into the
night.

Now,
the state wants to make sure even more sap flows next year.

A
new agreement will expand the number of state forests and parks where
sugarmakers can tap trees for maple syrup production.

Jason
Gibbs is commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

(Gibbs) ``There's a whole host of
criteria that we apply in the evaluation of these sites and we give very
careful consideration to it. We've so far identified 11 that would make perfect
sugarbushes and we're looking forward to getting them licensed and operational
for the next sugaring season.''

(Sneyd)
The state has already licensed two sites on state lands where trees can be
tapped by commercial producers.

The
sugarmaker pays the state a lease fee to tap the trees. Gibbs says the project
won't make a lot of money for the state, but that's not the point.

(Gibbs) ``The economic value to the
state as a whole is more significant if you look at this in the context of the
value of maple sugar to the state, to the state's brand, to those individuals
who are in the industry, to farmers who use it to add value to their
operation.''

(Sneyd)
There's a lot of value in the sap for sugarmakers this year. Prices have been
consistently high because of a shortage of syrup.